Raph Alleyn (died 24 January 1677/8) was a seventeenth-century

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

surgeon, and the fourth

College of God's Gift The College of God's Gift, often referred to as the Old (Dulwich) College, was a historic charity founded in 1619 by the Elizabethan actor and businessman Edward Alleyn who endowed it with the ancient Manor of Dulwich in south London. In 1857 it ...

Early life

He was of the parish of

St Clement Danes St Clement Danes is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London. It is situated outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. Although the first church on the site was reputedly founded in the 9th century by the Danes, the current ...

and it is unlikely that he shared any blood-ties with

Edward Alleyn Edward "Ned" Alleyn (; 1 September 156621 November 1626) was an English actor who was a major figure of the Elizabethan theatre and founder of the College of God's Gift in Dulwich. Early life Alleyn was born on 1 September 1566 in Bishopsga ...

. He did remain unmarried,Ormiston, T. L., (1926), ''Dulwich College Register'',page 10, (J J Keliher & Co Ltd: London) thus meeting

's requirements as laid out the Deed of Foundation of the College of God's Gift in Dulwich, which was then colloquially referred to as "Dulwich College", that the Master and Warden should always be unmarried and of Alleyn's blood, and surname, or failing that of his surname.Hodges, S, (1981), ''God's Gift: A Living History of Dulwich College'', page 8, (Heinemann: London)

Career

Before becoming Warden on 16 May 1642, he had practiced as a

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

. On Thomas Alleyn's death he became Master on 15 March 1668/9. He has been grouped as one of a ''"sad procession of non-entities"'' who, with few exceptions in the period between the Founder's death and when the College was reconstituted in 1857, on becoming Warden or Master, had as their chief object to lead the pleasantest life possible with little regard to furthering Alleyn's directions to provide every poor scholar with adequate preparation for the world.Hodges, S, (1981), ''God's Gift: A Living History of Dulwich College'', page 17, (Heinemann: London) He died on 24 January 1677/8 and was succeeded in the post by the surgeon John Alleyn who had served as Warden in the period that Raph had been Master. He was buried in the College Chapel.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alleyn, Raph Year of birth missing Masters of the College of God's Gift 1678 deaths